The European Commission decided, on Monday 24 February, to clear the public funding granted by Romania to Timișoara Airport from 2007 to 2009 as well as the fees payable by all airlines using the airport and the charges to be paid by Wizz Air in favour of the airport on the basis of individual agreements.
The Timișoara Airport is an international airport located in western Romania. It is the third largest airport in the country.
The Commission opened an in-depth investigation in May 2011 to assess whether certain measures in favour of Timișoara Airport and Wizz Air were in line with EU State Aid rules (see EUROPE 10385/31).
The investigation focused in particular on: - the public funding granted to the Timișoara Airport Manager between 2007 to 2009; - the schemes of airport charges and related discounts adopted in 2007, 2008 and 2010; - the agreements signed in 2008 between the Airport Manager and Wizz Air; - the non-enforcement of invoiced airport charges by the Airport Manager to Wizz Air for the period October 2009 to February 2010.
The Commission found that certain public funds received by the Airport Manager between 2007 to 2009 either served to finance non-economic activities at the airport or did not grant any economic advantage to the airport. The 2007, 2008 and 2010 schemes of airport charges, including their discounts and rebates, applied to all airlines at the Timișoara Airport in the same manner (they were therefore not selective).
In addition, the Commission noted that: - the 2008 agreements with Wizz Air were incrementally profitable for the airport; - the outstanding airport charges to be paid by Wizz Air were set off against the airline's claims for marketing payments, in line with the applicable laws (the alleged non-enforcement complaint became without object). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)